Can US companies sell to governments in Latin America?

Yes. Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Costa Rica all allow foreign suppliers to take part in public procurement, and each has a free trade agreement with the United States that includes government procurement obligations. Each country has its own registration rules and document requirements.

What are the main government procurement platforms in Latin America?

Mexico uses Compras MX, which replaced CompraNet. Colombia uses SECOP II, Chile uses Mercado Público, Peru is moving SEACE into its new PLADICOP platform, and Costa Rica uses SICOP.

Do I need to speak Spanish to sell to Latin American governments?

Procurement in these countries is conducted in Spanish. Tender documents, registration and bids are in Spanish, and foreign documents usually need official translation. Conversations with public buyers go much better in Spanish.

Do I need a local partner to bid?

Not always, but it often helps. Some countries let foreign suppliers register directly; others require local tax IDs, a legal representative or a branch for certain contracts. Many foreign companies work with a local distributor, partner or counsel.

Selling to Governments in Latin America: Procurement Guide

Q: Which free trade agreements cover government procurement in Latin America?

USTR lists government procurement obligations under the USMCA with Mexico, the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, the US-Chile Free Trade Agreement, the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement and CAFTA-DR, which includes Costa Rica.

Key takeaways

Each country runs a national e-procurement platform: Compras MX (Mexico), SECOP II (Colombia), Mercado Público (Chile), PLADICOP and SEACE (Peru) and SICOP (Costa Rica).
Mexico, Chile, Peru and Costa Rica have new or heavily reformed procurement laws since 2021, so older guides are often out of date.
All five have free trade agreements with the United States that include government procurement obligations.
Procurement runs in Spanish. Supplier registration, documents and conversations with buyers all happen in Spanish.

Five countries at a glance

Country	Procurement law	Agency	Platform	US trade agreement
Mexico	LAASSP, new law in force April 17, 2025	Secretaría Anticorrupción y Buen Gobierno	Compras MX (replaced CompraNet)	USMCA
Colombia	Ley 80 of 1993, Ley 1150 of 2007, Decreto 1082 of 2015	Colombia Compra Eficiente	SECOP II	US-Colombia TPA
Chile	Ley 19.886, modernized by Ley 21.634 (2023)	ChileCompra	Mercado Público	US-Chile FTA
Peru	Ley 32069, in force April 22, 2025	OECE (replaced OSCE); Perú Compras	PLADICOP, absorbing SEACE	US-Peru TPA
Costa Rica	Ley 9986, in force December 2022	Dirección de Contratación Pública	SICOP	CAFTA-DR

What the systems have in common

National e-procurement platforms. Tenders are published, managed and often awarded online. Registering on the platform is usually the first step.
Supplier registries. Most countries keep a national supplier registry, with specific rules for foreign companies.
Framework agreements and catalogs. Colombia's Tienda Virtual del Estado, Chile's convenios marco, Peru's electronic catalogs and Mexico's Tienda Digital let agencies buy without a separate tender. Getting onto them can open many buyers at once.
Spanish throughout. Documents, bids and buyer conversations are in Spanish, and foreign documents usually need apostille and official translation.

Recent reforms to know about

Much of what's written online about Latin American procurement is out of date. Mexico published a new federal procurement law in April 2025 and is replacing CompraNet with Compras MX. Peru's Ley 32069 took effect in April 2025, replacing OSCE with OECE. Chile's Ley 21.634 phased in changes through 2025, including mandatory supplier registration. Costa Rica's Ley 9986 took effect in December 2022 and was amended in 2025.

Trade agreements and government procurement

USTR lists government procurement obligations under US free trade agreements with all five countries: USMCA (Mexico), the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, the US-Chile Free Trade Agreement, the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement and CAFTA-DR (which includes Costa Rica). These agreements open covered procurement to suppliers from the partner country, but coverage depends on the agency, the type of purchase and value thresholds. Check the agreement's coverage for your target buyers.

How to get started

Pick one or two countries where your product fits a real public need and where you can support customers.
Register on the platform and in the supplier registry, and gather apostilled, translated corporate documents early.
Study past awards on the platform to see who buys what you sell, how they buy and who wins.
Talk to buyers before tenders, in Spanish, to understand needs and how purchases are planned.
Decide on a local presence: a partner, distributor or legal representative where the rules or the contract require one.

How KSG helps

Kensington Sales Group supports companies across the Western Hemisphere, except Cuba and Venezuela, with bilingual English and Spanish SDRs. We research public buyers, start conversations in Spanish and book meetings for your team. See our Central & South America sales development.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Procurement rules in Latin America have changed significantly since 2023; confirm current requirements with the procurement agency or local counsel before bidding.

Sources: USTR, FTAs government procurement obligations; trade.gov, Mexico: selling to the government; ChileCompra; Peru Ley 32069; Pacific Alliance, Colombia public procurement system.

Selling to governments in Latin America: a procurement guide.